Heater



Invenion 26 Rig. J

F. E. THOMES HEATER 7 Y 2 9 l l 2. l h C r, a M d e l m.. 3 9 2" EN www? June 5, 1928.

Patented' June 5, 1928. l

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

t FRANK E. THONES, or SOUTH vPORTLAND, MAINE",A

i HEATER.

Application 1aed march 12, 1927. ,semana 174,821.

My invention rela-tes to heating apparatus. In general terms, my object `isto provide a heater having a furnace so constructed `and equipped that the lower or cheaper grades of fuel, such as soft or bituminous coal, may be economically used, and which will do away with many of the `objectionable featuresnecessarily connected with the operation ofthe ordinary type of house-hold t heater using this particular grade of fuel. A specific Object of my invention is to provide for the proper control and utilization soft coal through the ordinary feed-door of the furnace is the belching ofA smoke and gas into the room. `llhen my heater is properly Operated this trouble is largely Overcome.

Another Object is the provision made whereby the hot-coke portion-of the fire-bed may be cleaned and its margins broken down land freed from any upstanding` portions which tend to retard the settling or lowering of the fuel from the zone above.

And a still further and a principal Object of my invention concerns the hot-air and flame 'lues by means of which communication between the hot-coke zone, situated approximately midway of thel depth of the fuel-bed, and the combustion space for gas above the fuel-bed, may be had. The exact function of these flame-fines will hereinafter be fully explained. i

Other Objects will be apparent from reading the description found in the specification; and in theaccompanying drawings in which the preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated,-

Fig. is a sectional elevation of my heater,

shown as a steam generator;

Fig. 2 is the same applied as a hot-air furnace;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken on line 3-3, Fig. l;

Fig. 4.- is a fragmentary plan view showing means for oscillating the damper in the heater shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is la plan view of the grate;` l Fig. 6 is a fragmentary t sectional plan, taken on line 6--6, in Fig. l; v

7 is the same taken O11 line 77, Fig. 2, and

f l Ftg,` 8 is the same taken on line V8-8,

Fie'. 2. Y

imilar parts arerepresented by the same reference characters in` `all views of the drawings.

Before describing the structural features of my heater, I will state that I regard the furnace thereof as comprising four vertically arranged, although intangibly divided spaces which I call zones. `The lowermost, t

A is theash zone, the next above, B, the hotcoke zone, the next C, the space for green` or `slightly burned fuel and the uppermost, D,

the combustion space for gas and smoke.

t In Fig. 1, 1n which my heater 1s shown as `it would function as a steam generator, 1

represents ythe `outer shell and 2 the inner shell and wall of the furnace. These shells inclose an annular space 3 for water and steam.

The base of the furnace mayV be con- `lstructedin any approved manner, but as shown comprises Ia cylindrical member 4,

with provision for an ash door 5.

Suspended on brackets 6, of which there may be three or vmore attached to the base 4,

is a flanged cylindrical member 7 preferably having slots or holes 8 through its vertical wall for the purpose of augmenting the supply of air to the furnace proper.

On a depending frame 9, secured to the `member 7, are two grate-bars l0, the open ings 11 therein extending substantially across the interior diameter of the member 7. The outersides of the grate bars have extended portions l2, forming slides which operate in the frame 9 and by means of the shaker-rods 13 the grate-bars may be shaken or Vwithdrawn sufficiently to dump the fire.

` Superimposed in close butnOn-contacting yrelation to and over the cylindrical member 7 is an annular shaped oscillatory member :14, constituting the bottom of the outlying act to prot-ect it fromlthe intense heat ofthe fire in the` hot-coke zone by radiating the heat from the plate portion ofthe member.

Ill

These ribs also serve as ke s which, when the member is oscillatedfacilitates moving bodily that portion of the fuel-bed which it supports and assists in breaking it from the portion of the fuelfbed .directlyabove To operate this inclined furnace bottom member 14 an arm 18, extending outwardly from its under side, is provided, and by means of the pivotally attached rod 19 which passes out through the side of the -hcater base, the whole bottom outlying portions of the fuel-bed may be agitated, the useless products of combustion, as ashes and clinkers, sliding down the inclined bottom into the ash zone A, from which space they are dislodged by the shaking of the' grate.

Locatedat a considerable distance above the top of the member' 1 4 is the bottom end of the inner shell 2 of the furnace. Through this shell are flue openings 20 offering communication, through the exteriorly disposed flues 21, between ythe zones B and D,V-'or `in other words, between the hot-coke and the :gas burning zones of the furnace.

aroundzone C `into zone D whereit consumes the gas andsinoke coming ofi' the surface of the fuel-bed.

It is not always required, however', to force l the furnace fire to the limit, so I provide a damper which operates lto `close off the flue openings 2 0the properamount to slacken the fire,- ie converse being true when a stronwer and morelivelyfire is required. This damper, 22, is constructed to either rise and fall.` as illustrated in the steam ,boiler type of heater shown in Fig. 1, lor to oscillate as is shown in the hot-air heater illustrated in Fig.'2,-the former being actuated by a forked'leyer 23 and the latter provided with an ,oblong slot 24 into which a' kflattened bar `(not shown) may be inserted through the feed-deuropening 25 and oscillated to yopen or close the flue openings. y

vExtending 4around the upper end of the damper and projectinginwardly is a baille plate 26. This acts to direct the flame passing upthroufh the fflues 21 and deflect it further into tiecentral portion of the combustion chamberover the green fuel.

This method 4of augmenting the facilities for imprcvlejd 'eeomhustn of the fuel .tedeerease-the s molre nuisance should not be oo nfused withlthe expedient ,often resorted ,to of taking the air from the ash-pitor even from lthe combustion space.

outside the heater throu h outside flues into he flues 21 in my furnace carry flame and not simply moderately heated air into the zone D, and I am able to regulate the intensity of this flame by the actuation of my flame damper.

The structure illustrated in Fig. 2 contemplates a hot-air heater embodying substantially the same elements as previously described in connection with the formy shown in Fig/1. In the Fig. 2 type of heater I provide removable plates 27 for the reason that this particular portion ofthe heater is the only one not protected by airon at least 011e of its cxposedsurfaces. "Heat and flame passing upward through the flues 21 will after a timeburn these plates, but they are easily replaced by inserting the upper end in the recess 28 and dro ping the lower hooked end 29 over the le yge 30. In Fig. 2 I have plotted the direction and course ofthe flame from zone B into the stack vby heavy dotted line L.

The heater shown in Fig. 1 may be provided with steam pipe conneetion at 31 and return for condensation at 32; also with the usual steam gauge, safety valve, water column and any other` necessary auxiliary for operating thefboiler,-.thes`e fittings not being shown on the drawing. I also provide, in both types Aof heatersaclean-out` door for zone B, at 33.1 I

In o erating my heater. the 4usual |procedure 1n the matter of handling smoke-pipe damper,'check draft `doors etc. (not shown) is followed. When the fire is to be replenished with soft coal the s oke-pipe damper is opened and the ash-pit, oorclosed. Subsequently, if a strong fire is l,desired the ashpit door is opened wide and the flue damper 22 adjusted ,to .give the desired amount of 4auxiliary draft Vand consequent intensity Vof Aflame required.

lVlren a fresh supply of soft coal is fed to the Vfurnace it prla'cticlally blankets the fire, or yin other ,woldlo eat quantity of air can pass through it. ne portion of the fuel-bed, however, islessdense and impervious to the air than thisvfresh fuel portion,-this beingthe hot-colte zone B l New as the flues 21 offer direct air communication from the chimney to the zone 13, a suction or down-draft on the under side of the fresh fuel takes place and gas rfreely liberated 4from this section of the fuel-bed, due to its being lin direct contact with the hot zone .beneath it, is instantly ignited and passes up the flues in the from of a flame, landas .it enters the combustion chamber, or zone D raises this space to a high` n and shortly effects `a liberationof the as from the upper surface of the fresh 4fue and we have now a ,condition ,where the fuel 1s bemg burned on both itsupper and der sides with no considerable amount of air ee4 of temperature whole body of fuel willhave become hot coke, `but that in zone B will be consumed first, so before replenishing with new fuel,

the member 14 should be slightly oscillatecL-this movement generally suiicingto bring what remains of the unburned fuel into a compact mass inzon-eB. ,Y

The draftthrough the flame `flues 2l is easily controlled by the damper 22, the adjustnient of which will determine Vthe strength and volume of the draft and the consequent intensity of the lire. F rom the is open, even slightly, it is obvious that the fuel in Zone B will be always kept in a condition of glowingl heat in contra-st to what obtains in the old, conventional type furnace where the blanlretiing ei'lect of the top body of fuel prevents any appreciable draftpassing through the fuel-bed. And the under side of the body of fue] inzone C is burned more rapidly than the top surface, a larger ]1Jroportion of gas is liberatedv and passes downwardly through the hot zone B to enter and pass upwardly through the iiues 21 as a flame, intensely heating the walls and surroundingl surfaces which radiate this heat to the water or fair,`dependin`g on whether steam or hot-air furnaces areinvolved.

My heater has demonstrated its ability for most economical heating purposes by reason of theyfact that-a greater than usual proportion of the fuel is completely burned and the heat units more largely conserved and utilized. i

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A heater comprising in combination, a

furnace having a fixed shell portion provided with apertures 1n the wall thereof, an

oscillatory, annular shape bottom membersaid .fixed shell portion,r a frame disposed beneath said oscillator),7 bottom member, enclosing a relatively deep chamber, a grate in the bottom end of said cl'ian'iber, and

means to aetuate said oscillatory bottom member. i y

2, A heater' comprising 1n combination, a

furnace having a fixed shell portion disposed iu the upper' portion of said furnace and provided with a plurality of apertures in the wall thereof,`an annular plate oscillatively mounted in the lower portion of said fui nace, the outer margin thereof extending, horizontally, beyond the wall of said fixed vportion and having its fupper surface downwardly and inwardly inclinediin spaced relation, vertically, with said fixed shell `por- ""tion,'a plurality of flues located `adjacent to and enteriorly ofsaid fixed shell portion and extending downwardly from the apertures y, insaid tixedshell portioninto the spacesuperjacent said annularplate, a grate of relatively smaller diameter than the diameter of the said fixedshell portion, and means to vary, either ito increase or decrease, the effective openings in the upper ends of said plurality of fiues. i Y H1 A heater, comprising in combination, an

outer shell, an inner shell having a plurality of apertures in the wall thereof, an oscili lato'ry, annular shape bottom member having a downwardly "and inwardly inclined upper surface and located beneath and in vertically spaced relation to said inner shell, a plurality of fines disposed exteriorly of said `inner shell, said ilues providing communication between the space within said inner shell adjacent the said apertures therein and the space superjacentthe said oseil-` latory bottom member, and an auxiliary damper effective to restrict collectively the alreas of the said apertures in the said inner s iell.

4. A heater, comprising in combination, an outer' shell, an inner shell having a plurality of flue apertures in the sides thereof, anoscillatory, annular shape bottom member, its upper surface being downwardly and inwardly inclined and disposed in spaced relation to and beneath the said inner shell, a frame inclosing a relatively deep chamber and being of substantially the same diameter as the inside diameter of said annular bottom member and less than the diameter of said inner shell, a grate dis vposed within said frame and a pluralit of fines disposed exteriorly of said inner siell,

each thereof providing communication, above the said grate, between two vertically separated portions of the space within the interior of said heater.

5. A heater, comprising in combination, an

outer shell, an innershell located in thev upper portion of said heater and having in its sides al pluralityof apertures, an annular, oscillatory bottom member having radial ribsron its upper surface, subtended in spaced relation to said inner shell, a grate operable in spaced relation to said bottom member, a plurality of tlues providing independent and separate communication between two vertically spaced portions of the general interior space in` saidl heater, the

entrance location to said flues being below i said inner shell and the exit location therefrom intermediate the length of said inner shell, both of said locations being above said grate, a perforatev cylinder operable adjacent said inner shell and adapted to conlil() zontelly disposed on the upper end of said peiforate cylinder.

6. A heater, comprising .in combination, a grate, a furnace, including an inner shell 4havingiiue apertures therein, :in-oscillatory,

annular shape member having its upper surface downwardl and inwardly inclined Aand ldisposed 4beneet i `and in spaced relation to said inner shell, means to `actute said anlnularshnpeniember, wplurality of lues posiitio'ned adjucentsaid inner shell and providing communication .betweentwo vertically separated portions Vof .the interior of said furnaceiabove said grate, yc cylindrical, vper- Aforate 1member `adapted to restrict prede- ;terminatcly andin tminous amounts .the effect-ive-openings in idinner shell, abale .pleteonsavid cylindrical, perforate member forming an vinwardly projecting circumfferential .flange and adapted to deflect the draft from said 'flues inwardly ytoward the central portion of lthe interior of the furnace, and means to actuate said ycylindrical pcrforate member.

vSi ned at Portland, in the county `of Cum erland and Stateof'Maine, this 21st day of vMey `1927.

FRANK n. rHoMEs. y 

